Synopses & Reviews
From the celebrated author of Motherless Brooklyn,
a wry, satiric parable of a hardboiled man out of time
Gumshoe Conrad Metcalf has problems-not the least of which are the
rabbit in his waiting room and the trigger-happy kangaroo on his tail.
Near-future Oakland is an ominous place where evolved animals function
as members of society, the police monitor citizens by their karma levels, and
mind-numbing drugs such as Forgettol and Acceptol are all the rage. In this
brave new world, Metcalf has been shadowing the wife of an affluent doctor,
perhaps falling a little in love with her at the same time. But when the
doctor turns up dead, our amiable investigator finds himself caught in the
crossfire in a futuristic world that is both funny-and not so funny.
"Marvelous . . . Stylish, intelligent, darkly humorous, and highly
readable entertainment."-SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
"Lethem has talent to burn."-THE VILLAGE VOICE LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
AUTHOR OF THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
Jonathan Lethem is the author of six novels, including
National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Motherless Brooklyn
and The Fortress of Solitude. He lives in New York City.
Review
"Lethem's invocation of Chandler often wears a bit thin....Still this colorful first novel is a fast and lively read, full of humorous visions and outlandish predicaments." Publishers Weekly
Review
"A first novel whose mix of genres and voices comically focuses a nightmare hash of yesterday, today, and tomorrow." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Lethem's first novel is a sparkling pastiche....[S]martly delivered first-person narration and crackling dialogue....An outstanding debut for a welcome new voice in both sf and mysteries." Carl Hays, Booklist
Review
"Spare prose and tight plotting create a taut sf thriller that should appeal to both sf and mystery fans." Library Journal
Review
"Marvelous...Stylish, intelligent, darkly humorous, and highly readable entertainment." San Francisco Examiner
Review
"Lethem has talent to burn." The Village Voice Literary Supplement
Synopsis
Gumshoe Conrad Metcalf has problems -- there's a rabbit in his waiting room and a trigger-happy kangaroo on his tail. Near-future Oakland is a brave new world where evolved animals are members of society, the police monitor citizens by their karma levels, and mind-numbing drugs such as Forgettol and Acceptol are all the rage.
Metcalf has been shadowing Celeste, the wife of an affluent doctor. Perhaps he's falling a little in love with her at the same time. When the doctor turns up dead, our amiable investigator finds himself caught in a crossfire between the boys from the Inquisitor's Office and gangsters who operate out of the back room of a bar called the Fickle Muse.
Mixing elements of sci-fi, noir, and mystery, this clever first novel from the author of Motherless Brooklyn is a wry, funny, and satiric look at all that the future may hold.
Synopsis
A hard-boiled detective tale full of talking animals and murder, from the award-winning author of Motherless Brooklyn and The Arrest.
Gumshoe Conrad Metcalf has problems -- there's a rabbit in his waiting room and a trigger-happy kangaroo on his tail. Near-future Oakland is a brave new world where evolved animals are members of society, the police monitor citizens by their karma levels, and mind-numbing drugs such as Forgettol and Acceptol are all the rage.
Metcalf has been shadowing Celeste, the wife of an affluent doctor. Perhaps he's falling a little in love with her at the same time. When the doctor turns up dead, our amiable investigator finds himself caught in a crossfire between the boys from the Inquisitor's Office and gangsters who operate out of the back room of a bar called the Fickle Muse.
Mixing elements of sci-fi, noir, and mystery, this clever first novel from a beloved author is a wry, funny, and satiric look at all that the future may hold.
About the Author
JONATHAN LETHEM is the author of nine novels, including Motherless Brooklyn, The Fortress of Solitude, and Gun, with Occasional Music. Dissident Gardens is his most recent novel.
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Jonathan Lethem